The present invention refers to a kicktail concave skateboard, which in the area of at least one of its end portions is equipped with an element of a different material than the rest of the skateboard, said element having a side that in the position of use of the skateboard faces towards the ground, and that the element is manufactured of a material that has a lower mechanical damping capacity and a higher modulus of elasticity than the rest of the material of the skateboard. In addition, the invention also refers to the element itself, to a blank for a skateboard and to a method for manufacturing a blank for a skateboard according to the present invention. A definition of a kicktail concave skateboard is given below in the detailed description of the invention.
Skateboarding has changed dramatically in the past decade. In the late 80s the maneuver known as an xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d was invented and has evolved to become the foundation of the modern sport. Every skateboard maneuver today is initiated with an ollie. An ollie enables the rider (and board) to become airborne to execute acrobatic maneuvers or clear obstacles. To perform an ollie the tip of the board is slammed against the riding surface and the skateboard xe2x80x9cpopsxe2x80x9d in the air. While in the air the board is skillfully manipulated with the rider""s feet in order to execute the desired trick or maneuver. The degree of energy transfer is central to the successful execution of the ollie. Execution of ollies causes severe wear to the tips of traditional skateboards. The wear compromises the structural integrity of the skateboard""s tips and reduces the energy transfer rate between the tip and the riding surface. A new board has intact tips, maximizing the energy transfer (pop). As the tips wear, board performance diminishes due to a weaker structure and increased friction. The more significant the wear, the poorer the board""s performance.
Modern skateboards are made of laminated maple, a material with poor mechanical properties (not especially hard and/or wear resistant, prone to humidity). The tips of the boards wear quickly. Ridden daily, the board has a functional life of 2-3 weeks. Worn tips not only require more frequent board replacement, but also affect the learning curve. Execution of modern-day tricks depends on predictable and reliable board performance. Professional skateboarders realize this and change their equipment regularly in some instances as often as every 2-3 days.
Every time an xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d is executed, a part of the nose or tail of the skateboard is worn off. The larger wear upon the nose and the tail (i.e. the portions that come in contact with the ground when an xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d is executed) the worse the performance of the skateboard when executing an xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d. The reason is that a new skateboard has a well-defined nose and tail, which means that the contact area against the ground is well-defined and relatively small. This concentrates the power transfer and provides a high degree of energy exchange, i.e. the energy that is transferred from the ground to the skateboard. As the nose and tail of the skateboard wear, i.e. the contact surface grows in size and becomes structurally less well defined, a loss of performance is experienced when executing an xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d. When the energy is spread over a larger area, a lower degree of energy exchange is experienced which results in less height and power in the xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d. Significant wear of the nose and tail of the skateboard makes it impossible to execute an xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d. For an advanced rider this means that the skateboard must be disposed of.
There have been skateboards, which have been equipped with fittings or the like in the area of the nose and tail. These fittings have not been constructed of a material which has stimulated the energy transfer between the ground and the skateboard. Said fittings have primarily been intended to function as break pads or as protection devices for the nose and tail. Said fittings have neither been structurally integrated into the skateboard (and have therefore impaired nose and tailslide performance), nor intended to improve the performance of the skateboard.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,326 a modified kicktail skateboard is previously known. At least at one end of said skateboard a wedge member is mounted as an external element. However, the purpose of said wedge member is primarily to xe2x80x9cconvert a 1970""s style flat skateboard to a kicktail boardxe2x80x9d as well as preventing wear of the end portions of the skateboard. A wedge member of the kind disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,326 will not function if the rider wants to perform an xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d. This 1970""s-era skateboard lacks a concave riding surface necessary to perform the different types of rotational ollie maneuvers as well as the fundamental deformation zone located in the beginning of the kicktail areas of the board. In addition the wedge member considerably reduces the distance between the end portion and the ground. This particular design impairs nose and tailslide performance and does not allow the board to attain a sufficient contact angle necessary to xe2x80x9cpopxe2x80x9d the board in the air. The wedge design also significantly affects the amount of accumulated rotational energy attained when the end portion of the board makes contact with the ground. This subsequently reduces the amount of energy entering the board compared to a modern skateboard having built in kicktail design.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,639 a kicktail skateboard is previously known, said skateboard being equipped with a braking pad at its lower side. A portion of said brake pad is recessed in the skateboard while a major portion of said brake pad projects beyond the skateboard. A skateboard equipped with such a brakepad is not suitable for performing xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d maneuvers for the same reasons as set out above in connection with U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,326.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a skateboard, which exhibits improved performance, especially when the rider executes a so-called xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d-maneuver.
A further object of the present invention is to structurally modify a skateboard at its nose and tail in order to extend the lifetime of said skateboard, especially as regards the execution of an xe2x80x9colliexe2x80x9d-maneuver.
A further object of the present invention is that the modification of the skateboard does not interfere with nose and tail slide maneuvers.
Still a further object of the invention is that the structural design of the nose and tail of the skateboard is structurally reliable in connection with the forces acting upon the skateboard when performing ollie maneuvers.
Yet a further object of the invention is that the structural modification of the skateboard in a simple way may be integrated in the manufacturing procedure of the skateboard, alternatively that it may be executed in the shape of a renovation of a skateboard.
At least the primary object of the present invention is attained by a kicktail concave skateboard which comprises a blank having opposite ends, and top and bottom sides. At least one of the ends is of reduced thickness to define a recess in at least the bottom side thereof. An element is mounted in the recessed end such that a portion of the element adjoining the blank has a thickness substantially equal to a depth of the recess, whereby the portion of the element adjoining the blank is flush therewith. The element includes a downwardly facing exposed side. The element is formed of a material having a lower mechanical damping capacity and a higher modulus of elasticity than the blank.
The invention also pertains to the element per se, and to the blank per se, as well as to a method of making the blank.